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Spilling It to Strangers

I want to extend a largee THANK YOU to the amazing bloggers and viewers out there who have dropped by Mmm Stories!!

Seriously, thank you all so much for your warm welcome and kind words as I begin to find my voice and subject in this blog! Since it’s creation only a month ago, I don’t think I’ve really taken the time to tell you all how much I appreciate you passing by and giving me a chance. I know our community is filled with amazing bloggers and readers and I am already grateful for starting this blog because it has introduced me to handfuls of new, talented writers and people. Every comment and view seriously fills me with joy.It has felt great to hear your perspective and even more, your encouragement.

Spilling it

I’ve been conversing with friends lately about the way in which people share their stories. I respect and appreciate those who reflect and sort through their lives online because it is their decision to share. It takes courage and talent to express oneself so openly online. Yet, as I’ve entered the real world, I’ve been surprised by the amount of people from all age-ranges who have unprecedentedly spilled their problems verbally to me. I am always excited to learn something new or connect with someone – but sometimes I wonder if there’s a new norm.

Ever meet someone whose problems seem to ooze out of them with every spoken word? Like their ever-mounted problems seem so uncontrollable they can’t help but share with anyone who engages in a conversation with them? So you are learning about a fellow volunteer’s struggle to get custody or support or hearing about your waxer’s efforts to fund her mother’s cancer treatments?

While I appreciate a person’s honesty, and try my hardest to sympathize, I am floored by the blatancy in which every day men and women share personal details with someone they’ve just met. I’m beginning to wonder: is this what it means to be grown up? Are adults more prone to divulging problems because they are secure with the issue, understanding that many others have gone through divorces or children problems, etc? Or is it meant to build friendship and intimacy and create a relationship? Or do someone people not have anyone else to talk to?

I’ve always confided in friends and family or brought up troubles during well-timed events. I’ve tried to keep positive and optimistic even during problematic times. Is this actually..childish..of me?

Perhaps it is because I enjoy getting to know others that I can sense someone’s disappointment and hurt literally conflicting with his or her mind. But it leaves me to question, very seriously,on my not so serious blog, what is the time and place and manners for spilling problems to strangers?

The Book Thief

These thoughts have come to me after a long weekend nose-in-book. I’ve spent most of my weekend curled up trying to finish a book for a Book Club meeting I have today. My sorority sisters and I started a book club and it’s basically my new favorite tradition.

This month’s book was 540 pages of AMAZINGNESSS hailing from the title, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It follows a story of a 10-year old girl named Leisel growing up in Nazi Germany from 1939 – 1942. Her story is one of a normal girl trying to find pleasure and live her life despite the horrific time. Most interestingly, it’s told from the perspective of Death.

Taken from the Amazon.com review: Zusak not only creates a mesmerizing and original story but also writes with poetic syntax, causing readers to deliberate over phrases and lines, even as the action impels them forward. Death is not a sentimental storyteller, but he does attend to an array of satisfying details, giving Liesel’s story all the nuances of chance, folly, and fulfilled expectation that it deserves. An extraordinary narrative.

I loved the tone of the book; the narration is very clearly told by someone who has been doing their job for so long that they feel no shame nonchalantly spilling important plot points or spoiling suspenseful moments through out the story, as well as throwing in a few sarcastic, even cynical, excerpts in there too.

It’s a beautiful, emotional, heartbreaking story. Zusak blends history with relatable, human characters and has you feel for every one of them. It was easy to plow through the entirety of the book, though from some of the dark nature, I wouldn’t recommend it being the last thing you see before you go to bed. I seriously cried for 20 minutes while finishing the book and felt SPENT after. I highly recommend this title and can’t wait to hear my friend’s perspectives at Book Club.

I’ve volunteered to host next month’s book club (mostly so I can prepare snacks) and am trying to decide if I should select a new bestseller fiction book (they’ve all been so far), a trashy beach read, a piece of non-fiction (recently up my alley) or a childhood throwback (like The Giver). So much pressure!

What do you think I should pick for book club next month? Any suggestions? Should I go bestseller, trashy beach read, non-fiction or childhood throwback?

What is the correct manner of expressing and sharing our problems? Are there rules?

Got such a kick out of “spilling it”. Acute observations for a youngun! When folks from other countries interact w/Americans they often think we talk about crazily intimate subjects all the time. Perhaps it’s partly a cultural phenom. Americans are a very brazen breed! I do think people are lonely, and need someone to listen. I write life stories on my blog KPKworld, under TALES FROM A WINDBAG. Got 10 monologues worth of material so far. So if you like stories: